What’s the difference between HBO Go, HBO Now, and HBO Max?

HBO Max, WarnerMedia’s new streaming service it intends to stand up against the likes of Netflix and Disney+, drops tomorrow, and I…am kind of worried. I feel like there isn’t a ton of hype about it, give or take the news that WarnerMedia is going to release the long-fabled Snyder Cut on the service. And at $15 per month, it’s the most expensive streaming service on offer.

I dunno, man. Anyone else nervous?

There’s also the fact that a lot of people seem to have trouble differentiating WarnerMedia’s new service from two HBO offerings: HBO Go and HBO Now. If you have one of those, do you need HBO Max? What’s the difference anyway?

Well, HBO has put out a helpful guide to answer that question, at least. Let’s break it down:

"HBO GO is a streaming service offered by HBO that is included free with your HBO subscription through a TV provider, and offers original content from HBO, including series, documentaries, specials and more, plus a large selection of movies. A cable or TV package that includes HBO is required."

Okay, so HBO Go is a streaming service you get free if subscribe to HBO through a normal TV provider, and it only has HBO content.

"HBO NOW is a standalone streaming service offered by HBO that does not require cable or satellite TV and offers original content from HBO, including series, documentaries, specials and more, plus a large selection of movies. Current HBO NOW subscribers (billed directly by HBO) will also get access to HBO Max at launch at no additional cost."

HBO Now is a streaming service that gives you access to all of HBO’s content, but you don’t have to actually subscribe to the HBO channel on normal TV.

"HBO Max is a platform offered by WarnerMedia that features 10,000 hours of premium content bundling all of HBO together with even more movies, shows and Max Originals for the whole family, including Friends, South Park, The Big Bang Theory, Wonder Woman, the Studio Ghibli collection and much more."

Okay, and HBO Max is a whole new streaming service that gets you HBO content plus tons of other stuff.

But this is where I’m confused. Like, do we get access to all HBO content on HBO Max, plus stuff like Friends, Doctor Who, all the Studio Ghibli movies, and more? If so, why in the world is HBO Now still around? They cost the same amount — $15 per month — and HBO Max has everything HBO Now has plus more, at least if I’m reading it right.

Honestly, it’s still confusing. I think the fact that HBO even had to put out this little primer is evidence they have a marketing problem on their hands.

HBO Max is out tomorrow. Yay?

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